Ultimate Girl’s Guide to Croatia Travel
Croatia is one of my favorite countries EVER. I absolutely fell in love with it, from the minute we got off the plane in Dubrovnik. It’s a slightly off-the-beaten path European destination, & cheaper than much of Western Europe ~ but that’s not why you’ll want to visit Croatia. Its turquoise waters will enchant you, its nightlife will intoxicate you, & its deserted islands will rejuvenate you. And for the ladies: you’ve never seen such beautiful men in your life! Which is why I had to write this “Ultimate Girl’s Guide to Croatia Travel…”
Welcome to your “Ultimate Girl’s Guide to Croatia Travel!”
Ultimate Girl’s Guide to Croatia Travel
Did you know that there are thousands of islands off Croatia’s coastline? Yes ~ thousands. When we stayed on Hvar Island, the ultimate adult playground ~ & an absolute PERFECT destination for a girl’s getaway, we got to explore some of the 20+ surrounding islands, including one that opens only after midnight, for late-night beach dance parties. It’s like a real-life “Fantasy Island.” Just think how many hidden gems are out there, waiting to be discovered in Croatia…Â
Hvar Island, Croatia. The ultimate girl’s getaway..
Map of Croatia Highlights
Dubrovnik
Hvar Island
Split
Plitivice National Park
Sibenik
Jelsa
Korcula
Trogir
Cavtat
Zagreb International Airport
Mljet Island
Croatia Travel Overview!
- Safety = Much Safer than the U.S. 90%
- Cost = Much cheaper than mainland Europe 45%
- Adventures = Abundant + Water-Based!! 100%
- How Safe I Felt as a Female Traveler = Very Safe 95%
- Croatian People = Some of the most GORGEOUS people I’ve ever seen ANYWHERE!!! Especially the men ; ) 100%
Croatia Travel Facts!
- Croatia in One Word = Perfect.
- Croatia in One More Word = Turquoise (waters).Â
- International Airports in Croatia = There are three main international airports in Croatia: 1) Zagreb (in the north, near Slovenia), 2) Split (more central), & 3) Dubrovnik (southern Croatia, near Montenegro).
- Wi-Fi = Wi-Fi available in major cities; less available when venturing out to the islands.
- Global Peace Ranking = #31 out of 163 countries (U.S. is #103) = Statistically far safer than the U.S.
- Hotels =Â Generally cheaper than the U.S. ~ particularly if using Airbnb or Homeaway.
- Must-Do’s = Hop on a boat. Swim in turquoise waters. Have a girl’s (or boy’s) getaway on Hvar Island. Stay up all night on a party island. Go to “Yacht Week” with your best friends. Take in the turquoise pools of Plitivice National Park. Get lost in the medieval fortress that is Dubrovnik. Pretend you’re Cersei Lannister.
- Is Croatia Good for Solo Travelers = Yes. Absolutely.Â
- How Did I Feel as a Female Traveler in Croatia? Very safe. We were never cat-called, & on the islands, there’s a very relaxed vibe; most people are strolling around in bikinis (during the summer) & there doesn’t seem to be any issue with excess male attention. The Croatian people seemed very relaxed & friendly, which, given their tumultuous history, is exemplary.Â
- Best Time to Visit Croatia = If you want warm weather, visit Croatia between May-October, but know that July & August will be VERY busy, & prices higher! Low season is November-April; expect cool weather, few tourists, & lower prices. We visited in June, during Yacht Week in Hvar, & the islands were still lively but not inundated with people. Weather was perfect.
- Would I Go Back = Yes!!! I could live there. Seriously.
Ultimate Girl’s Guide to Croatia Travel
Croatia is one of my absolute, top picks for female travel. Whether you’re traveling as a solo female traveler, or with a group of friends ~ it’s hard to go wrong in Croatia. The relaxed vibe, friendly people, & from what I could tell, no hint of machismo culture ~ makes for an effortless place for female travel.Â
This is how we feel about Croatia.
Croatia PhotosÂ
Putting together this collection of Croatia photos literally makes me want to book a plane ticket back. I dare you to scroll through these images & not dream of Croatia afterwards. And to make future travel planning easier, if a particular image grabs your attention, simply click on it & you’ll be able to search for accommodations in that exact location. We’re off to Croatia…
Our $90/night, 3-BR Airbnb, steps away from the walls of Dubrovnik. Click on photo for more hotels in Dubrovnik.
Dubrovnik: We started our Croatia trip in Dubrovnik, flying into its International Airport, just south of town. All of us were “Game of Thrones” fans, & we were dying to see the walled city of “King’s Landing” in real life. It did not disappoint. Our Airbnb was steps away from the walled city, cheap, & had windows opening up to the sea. It was love at first sight. Dubrovnik is filled with restaurants, bars, & nightlife ~ but can be quite touristy, so if you don’t want to be around tourists, head for the islands…
Where “Game of Thrones” is filmed…Dubrovnik, Croatia ~ aka King’s Landing.
Girls gone wild, in Dubrovnik.
Boat-filled harbor in Cavtat, Croatia.
Cavtat: Just 20 km south of Dubrovnik, lies the beautiful medieval town of Cavtat. Surrounded by hills & close to Croatia’s border with Montenegro, Cavtat is a perfect base if you want nice resorts ~ but without the masses of tourists that descend upon Dubrovnik. Cavtat is easily reachable by bus, taxi, or even a boat from Dubrovnik.
My personal favorite place in Croatia: Hvar Island. Come here to party, dance, drink, & lay in the sun…with people from all over the world.
Hvar Island: It would be impossible to write the “Ultimate Girl’s Guide to Croatia Travel” without including Hvar Island. We traveled to Hvar via a 3-hour ferry from Dubrovnik (ferries run May-September, find schedules here). Upon landing, we essentially found ourselves in paradise. Hvar is the ultimate girl’s getaway because it ticks all the boxes: great nightlife, great restaurants, gorgeous beaches ~ both for partying & relaxing, beautiful people, & no kids! Leave the kids behind here: because Hvar is the ultimate adult destination.
The unspoiled beauty of Mljet, Croatia.
Mljet Island: If nature, peace, quiet, & unspoiled beauty are what you’re after ~ then head to Mljet Island. Most of the island is covered by forested, national park, ensuring that you’ll find more nature than crowds. Just over an hour from Dubrovnik, Mljet is easily accessible while still feeling like you’re far from the crowds.
Yacht Week in Croatia.
Yacht Week in Croatia: The ultimate girl’s guide to Croatia travel is hardly complete without a mention of Yacht Week. Imagine sailing through Croatia’s turquoise waters with 12 of your closest friends, stopping to party at Croatia’s most famous hot spots? Well, that’s Yacht Week in a nutshell. We met several people in Hvar who were part of Yacht Week. They said it was one of the best experiences of their LIFE.
Ultimate Girl’s Guide to Croatia Travel
Sailing off the coast of Sibenik, Croatia, north of Split. Click on photo to search hotels in Sibenik.
Sibenik: If nightlife is less important to you, give Sibenik a try. With a beautiful medieval heart, & just an hour north of Split, Sibenik is known as the gateway to the stunning Krka National Park (known for its waterfalls), as well as the Kornati Islands.
Flying over Jelsa, Croatia…
Jelsa: If you want to be on Hvar Island, but don’t want to be in the thick of tourists & nightlife ~ try heading over to Jelsa. About 20 km east of Hvar Town, Jelsa is surrounded by pine forests, & you can wine taste, enjoy beautiful beaches, & more peace & quiet than in Hvar Town itself.
The Old Town of Korcula, a short distance from Dubrovnik.
Korcula: Korcula may be one of the most charming islands in Croatia ~ with olive groves, vineyards, & stunning, traditional medieval villages. Korcula Town is a good base, & is known as “Little Dubrovnik.” Korcula is also one of the largest islands in Croatia, at 47 km long (20 miles), & gives the visitor plenty of options ~ from lively towns to secluded beaches. It’s 2.5 hours by ferry from Dubrovnik to Korcula, with ferries running mainly during summer months.
Sailing through turquoise waters near Trogir, Croatia.
Trogir: Just 30 km north of Split & an easy drive, lies Trogir. If you love history & architecture, not to mention sailing in gorgeous turquoise waters ~ than Trogir is perfect for you. Its historic center is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, with the best-preserved Roman-Gothic complex in all of Central Europe.
Chances are, if you visit Croatia ~ you will at some point end up in Split.
Split: Split is a major crossroads in Croatia, with its central location, international airport, & ferry access to numerous islands ~ including Hvar & Korcula. It’s also Croatia’s second largest city, & has the massive, fortress-like Diocletian’s Palace at its center in the heart of town ~ another impressive Roman monument. You’ll have plenty of hotel, dining, & nightlife options in Split ~ but personally, it wasn’t our favorite Croatian city. While we felt entirely safe in Hvar, for instance ~ we felt much more cautious in Split, encountering some men who followed us back to our hotel. We found the islands much more relaxing.
One of the most beautiful places in a country full of beautiful places: Plitivice National Park. Click on photo for hotels near Plitivice.
Plitivice National Park: One of Croatia’s biggest attractions, Plitivice is a gorgeous collection of turquoise waterfalls, terraced lakes that cascade into each other, walkways, & hiking trails. For a more active girl’s getaway: head to Plitivice!
Ultimate Girl’s Guide to Croatia Travel
xoxo NoeliaÂ
Read Next: Ultimate Guide to Hvar Island in Croatia!
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Fantastic overview of this beautiful country! This makes me REALLy want to go now! Haha my husband & I are planning a trip to Croatia late this summer, & this really helps with our planning. Dubrovnik & Korcula are definitely on our lists, but I’m wondering if Hvar Island might be too much of a “party” island for us? We’re a couple in our late 40’s, & enjoy drinking but not clubbing ~ if that makes sense! Thanks for writing this wonderful piece!
Hi Diana! Thanks for your comment! No, I definitely don’t think Hvar is too much of a “party” island for you guys ~ it’s an international destination, & there were definitely people of ALL ages there, enjoying the many restaurants & bars. One suggestion, if you prefer more peace & quiet at night, would be to rent an Airbnb or stay at a hotel just outside of the main center, to avoid being near bars when you want to sleep. We were about a 10-15 min walk from town, & I felt it was the best of both worlds: fun, yet peaceful too! Hope that helps : )
Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is a really well written article. I will make sure to bookmark it and come back to read more of your useful information. Thanks for the post. I’ll certainly return.
Thank you! Glad you found the article helpful!
So lovely post. I like it. Thanks so much for the good post.
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it ~ Croatia is a beautiful place!